Malfeasance vs Venal - What's the difference?
malfeasance | venal |
wrongdoing
(legal) Misconduct or wrongdoing, especially by a public official that causes damage.
(archaic) For sale; available for purchase.
Of a position, privilege etc.: available for purchase rather than assigned on merit.
* 2002 , , The Great Nation , Penguin 2003, p. 140:
Capable of being bought (of a person); willing to take bribes.
Corrupt, mercenary.
* 1785 , The Times , 9 Feb 1785, page 1, column C:
As a noun malfeasance
is wrongdoing.As an adjective venal is
available for a price; venal.malfeasance
English
Noun
(wikipedia malfeasance) (en noun)Synonyms
* (wrongdoing) misconduct, wrongdoingvenal
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl)Etymology 2
From (etyl) , compare vendAdjective
(en adjective)- Thus, regimental commands in the army were – as with the judiciary or the financial bureaucracy – venal posts, which were purchased, bequeathed and sold among the nobility.
- Though there is a disposition in mankind, to declaim against the corruption and peculation of the present times, as being more venal than formerly; yet, if we look back to different periods, we shall find statesmen and politicians, as selfish and corrupt, (...) as those who have lately figured on the political stage.
